Zoning Board Continues DiMare Seafood Request; Approves Stork's Nest Relocation

Katie LaBore, owner of DiMare Seafood Marketplace at 2706 South County Trail, told the Zoning Board of Review last night that unless she got approval to increase seating capacity and approval of a parking plan for the restaurant she will go out of business.

When board members were skeptical of her proposed plan, she asked for and was granted a second continuance.

To accommodate her parking needs, LaBore proposed a valet parking arrangement using a lot in front of a building used as a church on the other side of South County Trail. That parking would be used until she was able to work out parking in a lot next door on the other side of Sleepy Hollow.

Board members were concerned about valet drivers going back and forth across the four-lane stretch of road and were told by their attorney there could be liability for them as well as the town.

When LaBore took over what had been a deli, a seating limit of 20 was continued. However the fire marshal approved the full site for up to 88 people and she has been unknowingly operating in violation with 44 seats. She is asking for 64 seats, including a front deck, which was built but does not comply with front setback requirements.

The variance request is scheduled to come up again on Oct. 25.

The board voted 4-1 on a request from Barbara Izzo to construct a day care center at 3116 South County Trail, but said she had to go to the Planning Board for site approval and work to satisfy two neighbors who expressed concerns about their privacy and the change in use from a farming designation.

Izzo’s lease is ending on her current location at 2260 South County Trail and she wants to move her Stork’s Nest Day Care Center into a 10,000-square-foot facility she would build across from the park-and-ride lot.

Approval was also granted to Elizabeth Carley to build a wrap-around porch and addition to her home at 88 Mawney St. Carley actually only wanted to build the porch around one side of the house, but the Historic District Commission recommended she build a full porch to balance the look of the house. She asked the Zoning Board to reject the request for the wrap around in an effort to limit the project to her original plan. However the board said that might result in more delay. They approved the request as presented and said she can now go back to the HDC and seek approval for any portion of the project on which they can agree.

Christ Church, which has purchased the former M & J Kitchen site in the Steeple View condos adjacent to the church on Cedar Avenue, was granted approval to use the space for a house of worship and assembly use. The condos are zoned as light industry/office, which made the special-use permit necessary.

The church already owns one unit, which they use for office space, and Scott Thurber told the board the additional room would supplement Sunday church activities for about 90 children and be used by around 30 adults on various weekday evenings.